Fender for street-cars



(No Model.)

D. PLANDERS. FENDER FOR STREET CARS.

Patented Dec. 26, 1893 wivzesa es ELI/87126071 I ML'CZWYS,

NITE STATES ATENT @rrroa.

DAVID FLANDERS, OF WVATERTOlVN, MASSAOHUSE' S.

FENDER FOR STREET-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Iletters Patent No. 511,604, datedDecember 26, 1893.

Application filed June 80, 1893. serial No. 479,213. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DAVID FLANDERS, of \Vatertown, county of Middlesex,State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Fenders forStreet-Cars, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters and figures onthe drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object the production of a cheap, simple andefficient fender for street cars, it being adapted particularly toelectric cars, the construction of the fender being such that it may bereadily turned up out of the way when not in use, the fender being underthe control of the motorman whereby it can be put in operative positioninstantly.

In accordance therewith myinvention consists, in a fender for streetcars, ofa tilting two-part frame hinged together and to the car, andmeans to hold the parts in extended position, combined with a springadapted to tilttheframeintooperative position,anotched bolt secured tothe frame, and a locking dog to normally engage said bolt and hold theframe in inoperative position against the action of the spring,substantially as will be described.

Other features of my invention will be hereinafter described andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure l in side elevation represents one end of a car with my inventionapplied thereto, the fender being shown in different positions by fulland dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the fender taken below theline as, Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a detail of the locking and releasingmechanism to be described; and Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on theline a), Fig. 3.

The side frames a, platform a and dasher a are and may be of usual andwell known construction. To the underside of the frames a I havesecured, as herein shown, ears a to support a cross rod or shaft 1)upon-which the fender is pivotally supported, said fender consisting ofside arms I) connected by ties c and (Z, the upper side of each arm bbeing notched near its outer end as at 0 to receive lugs or projectionsc on arms I) pivotally supported on the cross tie c and connected attheir outer ends by a cross bar 12 A net b of strong twine, wire orother suitable material is stretched between the arms 19 and when thefender is in operative position the net acts to receive and hold anyobstacle, human or otherwise, which may be on the track.

It is desirable to have the leading end of the fender approach the trackas closely as possible, and I have provided the outer ends of the arms17 with wheels or rollers to adapted to rest and roll upon the tracks Twhen the fender is in use.

Strong springs s are placed between the tops of the arms 5 and a crossbar 0 of the platform frame-work, said springs tending to move thefender into the lowermost dotted line position shown in Fig. 1.

It is neither desirable nor necessary to have the fender in the lowestposition at all times, and in order to maintain it in the position shownin full lines Fig. 1 I have provided a locking and releasing device forthe fender, herein shown as a bolt d loosely secured at its lower end tothe cross-tie e of the fender and extended upwardly through a casing dprovided with an offset or flange 1 resting upon and secured to theplatform a by suitable screws 2. The casingis cut away at one side toadmit the end of a locking dog d pivoted to the platform at 3 andpressed inward by the spring 5'. The bolt (1' is provided with a notch dadapted to be entered by said dog when the fender and bolt are raised tothe position shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the dog then maintaining the fenderin such position against the action of the springs 8. Should themotorman notice an obstruction on the track it is only necessary for himto move the dog d against the action of the spring 8', thereby releasingthe bolt d, and the springs s will immediately force the fender downinto its dotted line position Fig. 1 with the wheels to resting upon thetrack ready to receive the obstacle and prevent the car from passingover it.

In order to limit the downward movement of the fender I have providedguards g, herein shown as hook-shaped bars, secured to the platformframe, the arms I) of the fender resting upon said guards when in theirlowest positions.

It is supposed that both ends of the car will be equipped with fenders,and in order that the fenders may take up as little room as possiblewhen not in use I have made it in two parts, the two parts being hingedtogether at the cross tie c, and,as is apparent, the lugs or projectionson the front or folding portion of the fender rest in the notches c ofthe arms I) when said folding portion is extended, to maintain it inproper position.

When the fender is not in use the folding portion thereof may be turnedup against the dasher, as shown by dotted lines Fig. 1.

This invention is not limited to the exact construction or arrangementof parts, as herein shown and described, as it is obvious that thelocking and releasing device may be changed, or the particularconstruction and arrangement of the fender itself may be altered withoutdeparting from my invention, or canvas or other material may besubstituted for netting.

I claim- 1. In a fender for street cars,a tilting twopart frame hingedtogether and to the car, and means to hold the parts in extendedposition, combined with a spring adapted to tilt the frame intooperative position, a notched bolt secured to the frame, and a lockingdog to normally engage said bolt and hold the frame in inoperativeposition against the action of the spring, substantially as described.

2. A tender for streetcars composed of connected side arms havingnotches at their front ends and pivotally connected at their rear endsto the car, a folding frame provided with a flexible bottom and hingedto said side arms, and projections to enter said notches, combined witha bolt secured to said fender, and a locking dog to engage and normallymaintain the fender in inoperative position, substantially as described.

3. In a fender forstreet cars, a spring controlled tilting frame securedto the car, and supporting rolls or wheels upon the front of said frame,combined with a notched bolt secured thereto, and aco-operating lockingdog to enter the notch and maintain the frame in inoperative position,the release of said bolt permitting the spring controlled frame toassume its operative position, substantially as described. 7

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

DAVID FLANDERS.

WVitnesses:

THOMAS E. NACKETT, LOUIS H. SHATTUOK.

